Machine for printing luminous dials



P R. G. FORDYCE ET AL 1,373,432

MACHINE FOR PRINTING LUMIN OUS DIALS Filed Aug. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 2a 50 57 31 Z5v 25 I a, 26 59 E 40 41 4? ATTORNEY Sept.20,1932.- R.v G. FORDYCE ETAL 13878382 MACHINE FOR PRINTING LUMINOUS DIALS Filed Aug. 8. 1929 2 Shets-She'et 2.

INVEN RS ATTORNE em G; fonnYcn, *oF cnxcaea'nnnnnnn nr. T L30T',-or rERU,,-"II LIivoIs; 'As- DIAL cor/ many, 0F omrAwaainmuoxs conronATIoN 01? j ILLINOIS Patented, Sept- 3 V UNI ED f SIGNORS "To RADIUM A ppli ca tion filed August 8,

7 provide a machine of the above nature in which the luminous paint supplied from a hopper to .a Cylindrical metal die from which 'it is removed by? a soft transfer rolland printed upon the dial which is held i'o'n a reciprocating plate beneath said roll." I l A Afurther object is 'to providea device of the above natureiwhich will be simple in {WVith these and otherobj ectsfin viewfthere" have been illustrated 1 on the j accompanying performing mechanically a some of *uie steps of thepainting-process;3K device of this}.

construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to IllfllllPLllfdlfiQ, compact, and very efficie'll t"and"durable in use.

drawings two forms in which the invention 7 may be conveniently embodied in practice; t Fig. 1' representsfan" endfview of the dialprinting machine; g Q" l c "FigLQ is}an endf sectional 'view of the same," taken; along the-line 2- 2 of Fig 3; looking infthe dir'ection of the'arrow'sfi Fig. 3 isa front view, partly in: section, of the dial printingmachine. I Fig. 4c'is a perspective' view-ofth'e cyli'n drical transferdiez i Fig. 5-is -a"'f ragmentary" sectional'view of the hopper and a portionof the cylindrical di 7 I t a is). 15 1 In the m nufacture of luminous dials in the past, it has been customary to -;manua1 1 apply the luminousfigures or characters with a small, paint brush,- This op tion] was found to be extremely slowand was expen I SiVeto'ca Iry-out. f 1 I Attempts have been made avoid, these disadvantages by; devising -mechanismfjfor' 7 nature was disclosed inPatent No;-1,657,237

granted' Jammy 24, meat-Harrie F. T51

" s am;sos-psme qmmm s puns I tion disclosed herein.

tent, it "did not c ompletely'solve the prob lem; as "some of the stepsof the dial-paint I ing process stillha'dto'be performed by hand labor.

H Theipresent invention overcomes the above disadvantages; and eliminates almost entire:

ly hand'labor inconnection:with the paints I ing ofgluminous 'figuresupon watch and clock dials.

Thishasbeen' .accomplishediby v 1 .an improved machine havinga hopper with;

in'which the-luminous paint from which the figures,are'towbefprinted is first received.-

From-the hopper, the paint isltaken :up by i a rotary die, beingforc'ed thercupon bymea. 'chanically-operated'brush} Provision is also 7 V 7 made of a :rubber cylindrical tran'sfer roll 1 2 adapted to rotate in; contact with the fcylindrical I die i-for transferring the I paint from "the die to the dial which ciprocatingbedtherebeneath;Q

: 7 After the luminous p i t h s been ll laced in the hopper, the operationl'is automatic; it"

being unnecessary for the operatortof'scrape t v the surface of the cylindrical die as was for-m er'ly required V 7 i. v Referr ngnow toithe drawings in which llkd reference numerals denote correspond is carried-Lon a reing parts throughout-the severalviews,the

numerals 10 and ll indicate a, pair of spaced Q platforms having frames 12 and 13 extending "upwardly therefrom Each. of .f the frames 12' and 13' have; central rectangular;

slotted sections 14 for adjustablyreceivingbearing blocks 15; 16,17; and18, respectively.

The bearing blocks are s'lidably mounted" in the sides of the slotted sections 14 and are" adapted to support a pair of'horizontal shafts} 16w and 18d, the upper shaft 16a having rigid ly mountedthereon a'cylindrical diei19, pref- '95 I erably metallic, while the lower shaft 180'; car-L riesaIresilient soft transfer roll 20 ofja'suit V ablecompos'ition,1 such as rubber or gelatine.

Mounted upon the top of the printing ma chine "i sfa hopper 20a having downwardly V I converging sidersections inwardly in clined bottom sections 21 and 22. The inside edges of said bottom sections are beveled and spaced apart, as shown in Fig. 2, for fitting the periphery of the cylindrical'die 19. The top of the hopper ais' closed by a horizontal detachab'le cove'rmember 23, whereby the hopper may be readily charged with luminous paint.

,The ,transfer reciprocating jig or dial block 2ta',whi'chin turn is carried by a sliding bed plate .25,.the. latter being mounted "to reciprocate upon in-place by a pair ofwing nuts 30. and 31,

seated'insockets 36iand37 injsaidcross-heads V drum also serve .tofscrape'ofi; excess-paint; Q from the die19; and; to. keep the-material iFn whereby the position of 'saidlcross-heads-29 may be readily adjusted. V r V In order to force the luminous paint'into the engraved' figures of the: die l9, provision is made of a small upper shaft =32 having a brush drum 33' rigidlymounted thereon, said drum having a plurality of flexible blades-34=- extending radially T from its outer surface.

The blades 34 rest upontlie top. ofthe die 19 and are adapted to beforjced th'ereagainstby a. pair of springs 35,flthegends'of; which are 29: and a'pair ofsmallbearingblocks 38 with in which. the; ends of said. shaft 332, are ljour naledg :Thebearing b1OCkSl38- are slotted at their side's-to. slidablyzfit about the bar's 25a and 26a. The flexible blades: 34 of the brush theqhopperj thoroughly mixed; Thenpper bearing: blocks 17 and ,1;8 are adaptedtoi be Q held rigidly: {in their proper. adjusted :po'si tions'by a pair ofboltsee and 40 supported I upon the tops of the frames 12 andfl3, asby anglemembers all and 4t2..:

. In order totranjsmit the rotary motion; of

the die 19-tothe drum 33, theupper shaft .32 carries a pair of collars t3 andA4 having grooved sections {t5 ontheir peripheries form ing pulleys for a round belt 46, the; lower end OfWhichis seatediwithinja groove l?- of a;

larger collar 48 rigidly mountedon the ends.

o fithe shaft 160 of the uppercylindricali liex,

11} order to cause; the die [19 j and the transfer; roll 20 tooscill'ate when the bed plate 25;" is reciprocated, a pair of flexible fiat metal thefmachine. The-belts A9 are, connected as by-screW's 150a to apair of enlarged flanges 5 1 provided) on the transfer roll shaft18a out-.

2 side of the transfertroll 20. The-belts, A9.

then pass down'vertic'ally and around pair of idle pulleys 52, from which they pass-k011i.

zontal lytowardthe right-hand'end of the hollow threaded lugs54 at the ends ofthe bed plate 25.

' f. -Nuts' 5'5 and 56' are located on each of said b'olts'53 to'permit the. desired adjustments to V r Y bemade. roll 20-is adapted torest in. QQI tactWith a .dial 2% carried' b'y a slidablel' The belts are similarly connect-r ed to enlarged flanges 57 on the upper die.

shafts 161dand 'then pass down and around idlefpulleys 58 and have their extremities:

joined .to.. similar tension adjusting take-up Ibolts 59 at the other' end of the bed plate. knifeedges 26 and 27 carried by the platforms 10 and 11 respectively. The top bearing blocks 17 ml 18. are provided with upwardly Opemtion Bymeans of the above-construction, whenever. the. operator pushes the sliding bed 25' from l'eftlto: right or vice versa, the drum 33, the'die 19, and thetransferroll 20;wil1 be oscillated causing the luminous: paint to be fed intotheehgraved recesses 60 cut into the surface of the cylindrical diev 19. 1 Y

:2; The excess-paint will be? wiped olf :aut0-' matically fby the flexible blades 34, and the paint will then be deliveredtothe cylindricalsurface of: the transfer roll20, :which is in eontactswith the die; 19.. Continued rotation 'ofsaid-roll 20 will then print theipaint; upon the'dial 24.; v 1' It will be understood that'pthe abovedescribed construction insures that-the rotary surface speed of the facejofthe transfer roll 20 will be? maintained at all times exactly equal tothe sliding speed of the bed plate 25. i' r the modified" fornfr of "the invention shown; in Fig. ,5, a larger hopper 61 is em- 'ployed for containing .correspondi;ngly

greater .quantiltyfyof the luminous paint,

Tithin' the hopper 61 are, apair of horizontal spindlesfilw'and 62gupon-whiclr are mounted a pairof'brus'hdrums-63 andr'64 respectively.

Surroundingth'e drums 63 and (leis a contin:

uous strip 65 having on itsperipherya plu ralzity OfiflGXl'blQ teeth ,66 for forcingthepaint' intothe cutsi ofthecylindrical die 19, removing the. excess therefrom, and also serving to mix the paint Within the hopperfil While the inventionhas "been herein dis-- closed as: a man'ually-operated machine, it will be understood that the bed plate 25 may b lieciproeatedby any other suitable source of external: power with-inthe spirit and scope that these-forms are shown for the purpose of,1illustration. only,iandthat the'invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures but may be modified andembodiedin various other forms without departing from its spirit, In short, the invention includesall the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope ofthefollowin g claims.

paint, a rotary die beneath said hopper,'a' ro.-'

tary drum having resilient blades in contact with said die in said hopper for forcingpalnt into said die and for removing the excess therefrom, a rotary transfer roll in contact with said die, and a dial-holding bed plate reciprocable beneath said'transfer roll, whereing said drum and die. I

by the paint will be transferred from said die to said dial. a

2. In a machine for printing luminous dials, a hopper for containing a supply of paint, arotary die beneath said hopper, means 7 in said hopper for forcing paint into said die and for removing the excess therefrom, a rotary transfer roll in contact with said die, a dial-holdingbed plate reciprocable beneath said transfer r011, whereby the paint will be transferred from said die to said dial, and means operated by the movement of said bed. plate for rotating said die and. transfer roll, said die and roll being drivenrby and connected with said means. V i

'3; In a machine for printing luminous dials, awhopperfor containing a supplyof paint, a rotary die beneath said hopper, a drum in said hopper for forcing paint into said die, a rotary transfer roll in 'contactwith said die, and a dial-holding bed plate reciprocable beneath said transfer roll, whereby the paint will be transferred from said die to said dial, and means for rotatively connect- 4. In a machine for printing luminous dials, a hopper for containing a supply, of paint, a rotary die beneath said hopper, means in said hopper for forcing'paint into said die and for removing the excesstherefrom,a romeans for adjusting the pressure between said;

tary transfer roll in contact with said die,;a dial-holding bed plate reciprocable beneath said transfer roll, whereby thepaint will be, transferred from said die to said dial, and

die, transfer roll, and dial.

5. In a machine for printing luminous dials, a pair ofupright' frames, a cylindrical die journaled in said frames, a yiel'dable transfer roll in contact with said die and also journaled in said frames, dial-holding means in contactwith said transfer roll, means for feeding luminous paint to said die, and means for manually reciprocating saiddial-holding means, to cause the paint to be transferred by said'roll from 'said die to said dial, said die and 7 ing driven by and connected with said means. I V v '6. In a machine for printing luminous dials, a pair'of. upright frames, a pairof shafts j ournaled in said frames, a tubular die and a tubular transfer rollmounted on said shafts and being in contact with each other, means for feeding luminous paint upon said 7 transfe die; areqiprbeabh amaary a plate transferroll, pulleys; on each of said shafts,

and belts:each connected at one end to one of fsaid pulleys and attlieotherend tosaid bed for holding' -said dial in"contact witli;.}said plate for causing oscillationof said die and catedl 7. In a machine for printing luminous v dials, a pair of upright frames, a pair of I shafts journaled insaid frames, a tubular die and a tubular transfer roll'mounted on said shafts and being in contact with'each other,

means for feeding'luminous paint upon-said die, a reciprocable dial-carrying bed plate for re wherr'said bed plate is'recipro- V holding said dial in contact. with sa d transfor roll, pulleys on each of said shafts, and a belts each connected atone end to one ofsaid pulleys and at the other end tosaid bed plate for causing oscillation of said die and transv fer roll when said bed plate is reciprocated,

and means for adjusting the tension of said- 7 belts.

8.' In amachine .for printingluminous dials, a pair of upright frames, afpair of shafts journaled in said frames, a tubular die leysand at the other end to said bed plate for causing oscillation of said die" and transfer 7 roll when said bed plate isreciproc'ated, means f for'adjusting the tension of said belts, and

idle rolls journaled in said upright frames to" uide said belts. I v a -.9. In a machine f0r.. inti luminous dials, a-frame, a paint-receiving die,a trans-- for roll incontact with saidtdie,'means for holding a dial incontact with said transfer roll, ahopper. for feedingluminous paint to said die, said hopper carrying a continuous 1 1 belt mountedon afnair of drums for forcing said paint intothe engraved recesses in'said die and wiping the excess paint therefrom.

10.7In a machine for printing luminous dials, a frame, a paint-receiving die, a trans fer roll in contact with said die, means for holding a dialin contact with saidtransfer V 1 roll, a hopper forfeeding luminous paint to said die,saidhoppercarryingacontinuous belt mounted on apair of drums for forcing said paint into engravedrecessesin said die and wiping the excess paint therefrom,said belt having flexible blades on its periphery. i

-11. In a machineffor printing luminous 2, dials, .a frame, a cylindrical paint receiving die, a softcylindrical transfer roll in contact 4 with said die, a reciprocating bed platefor v holding a dial in contact with said transfer roll, and'means on said frame for slidably 1 .i

12s is sufiportin sail pl'ite," aid'gdiervan d 17011' i being. drive}; byand. connected with said bed plate:

timonywhereof; weihalveaffixd our RUFIjSzGtFQRDYOEV HARRIE ,F. TALBOT; 

